Ex-detective Mark Williams-Thomas, who initially worked with Jay Slater’s family during his disappearance, has revealed why the 19-year-old’s death needs to be investigated
A detective who investigated the disappearance of Jay Slater has revealed the crucial reason his death must be investigated, as he also called out the Spanish police.
Mark Williams-Thomas, who initially helped the Slater family, posted a bombshell video online where he called on people to hold the authorities to account. The investigator shared details of his experience with Spanish police and discussed the difficulties he faced while looking into Jay’s case, saying: “Some authorities and countries are open to receiving information better than others.” This comes as an inquest into the Brit’s death was launched at Preston Crown Court this month.
Mark, in a seven-minute long video posted on X, explained the challenges he faced with Spanish cops including allegedly sending evidence and information to police but not hearing back from them.
He said: “I sent the information I had in an email to Spanish authorities. I told them I wasn’t able to share the audio recording at this point because I needed to explain to them how I had obtained it and also I was very conscious that it was highly sensitive and I didn’t want it just being shared all around. They’ve never come back to me.”
The detective claimed some countries “really don’t like working with the public to get information, they think they always know the answers”.
The ex-cop then went on to discuss the dangers of misinformation appearing on social media in famous cases like this and called on authorities to do more. Mark also called on the public to hold cops and the authorities to account.
He said: “If the authorities aren’t doing the job properly, whatever that is or whether the organisation not doing properly, then it’s important as investigative reports we hold them to account.”
The 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, had travelled to Tenerife for the NRG music festival in July 2024. He dramatically disappeared after the festival and a huge manhunt was sparked on the island.
A 29 day search for the apprentice bricklayer ensued and he was eventually found in a remote national park, around a three hour walk from the town of Masca – where Slater went with two men he met at the festival.
Spanish authorities determined the 19-year-old died after sustaining multiple injuries consistent with a fall in a rocky area. Now, during an inquest 10 months after his death, Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd said Jay’s body was already decomposing when he examined it. The inquest also heard Jay had a cocktail of drugs in his system when he died.
The inquest was also abruptly halted on Wednesday after Jay’s distraught mum Debbie asked for it to be stopped until several witnesses, including Jay’s pal Lucy Law, who is reportedly in Tenerife, can be found to give evidence.
Other friends, including Brandon Hodges and Bradley Geoghegan, who also uses the surname Hargreaves, and Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas, who had rented an Airbnb which Jay visited in the hours before his death, were also not present.